Les Neiges D'Antan

“Mais où sont les neiges d'antan?” (“But where are the snows of yesteryear?”)

 Les Neiges D’Antan is the name of the latest musical project of Paul Rieger, guitars and bass and Bob Tiefenwerth, keyboards. Bob and Paul were one-half of the 1980’s Neo Psychedelic band United States of Existence. (Check out the recent USE anthology LP released by Guerssen Records of Spain, “The Psychedelic Yesterdays of Tomorrow”). But, except for a few pauses along the way, Bob and Paul have been making music together in some form or another since their teen years, beginning with Klangfarb, their musique concrete / instrumental prog band and then fast forwarding past USE to Trio Novo – their jazz trio specializing in Brazilian Bossa Nova and classic American jazz (with some psychedelic nuggets thrown-in for good measure).

But then came geographic moves and the pandemic.

Determined to continue doing music in some fashion, Paul connected with the online music collaboration community to provide the sounds he could not: drums and voices. And, finding that it could actually work, reached out to Bob for the all-important keyboards. The result: the single releases of “Angelina” and “So Sorry.”

It would be convenient to say that the two songs in no way draw upon their joint musical past. Paul probably thought his songs were moving away from his ‘60’s leanings. But the close harmonies, electric 12 string guitar and clavinet tell a different story. Call it ‘baroque pop,’ ‘electric folk rock’ or anything else, the songs embrace ‘60’s pop sounds.

Shindig!'s Camilla Aisa reviewed "So Sorry" in her "Tracks" column in Shindig! Issue 127: ..."yes, they still have a thing for brilliant, elegant, monikers - 'the snows of yore' is an elegant, melancholic, tremendously French way to look at the passing of time. On 'So Sorry,' that very sweet wistfulness is cradled by jangly guitars and baroque-pop grace."

Look for more songs from Les Neiges D'Antan and their collaborators in the months to come!

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Les Neiges D’Antan:

Bob Tiefenwerth: organ and clavinet (North Carolina)

Paul Rieger: guitars and bass (Maryland)